Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-05-13
low after Rabyah's gray mare; and the

scraping and Of stumbling, while the men
of Sulaim scattered and drew back in dis
may. And many times Rabyah thus
checked them. Only Nubaishah. the son
of Habib, ever sat firm upon his black
stallion and faced the humming shaft.
and d~exterously avoided il or turned 1t
from him with marvellous surety Of eye
and truuneSs of hand.
SO, fleeing and turning, halting and
proceeding, pursuers and pursued ever
grew nearer to the Jagged teeth of the
western hills; and in the black toothed
line Of them appeared the bright gap OF
the Pass Of Ghazal, ever widening and
Frightening as they rode. And now the
great stones upon the way made long
black shadows over the plain; for the sun
was setting before them. So they rode
into the edge of the shadow of the hills,
and Rabyah turned TO make a last stand,
and the pounding Of the pursuing hoofs
became a shufiling once again as the band
Of Sulaim drew rein in a cloud of dust.
But now in Rabyah's CULVER there was no
more shafts.
Then QUINN Saiyar cried out 10 him
afar off: Sword and spear. son! Sword
and spear for the women of the Benz
Firaz! Give them sword and spear for
thy mothers sake, for thine WI Raytah,
who wai;cth in the tent"
And again and again did Rabyah charge
them with spear and sword, scattering
them even as a hawk scattereth quails.
Only NuhaiShah, the son of Hahib, fled
not, but yielded way cunningly to let him
pass, and always thereafter circled men,
acingly about him, like u vulture sweep.
ing close 10 the sand.
And it happened at last that, as Rabyah
bore down upon a man Of Sulaim, Nu-
baishah suddenly circled by him rapidly
as q whirling wind, and thrust with his
lance as he whirled, and the lance blade
burst its way through Rabyah's shirt Of
Persian mail and into his entrails.
And Nuhaishah laughed, and drew
hack the blade IF his wet spear between
his stations ears, and smelled the odor
Of the blood upon il, and shouted: Thou
hast thy death wound, o Rabyah!' For
never had swarthy Nubaishah lifted his
spear against a man TO slay him and
failed in his purpose-so keen his eye, so
subtle his hand.
But Rahyah, seeking to deceive him
for the women's sake, shouted back with
all the deep power Of his voice: Thou
lest in thy throat, Nubaishah." And
Nuhaishah laughed again. and shook hs
head in scorn, and circled away among
his men.
Then Rabyah rode after the women
swiftly, sitting firm as a tower despite hi,
pain; and even al the Pass of Ghazal ht
came up with his mother. as he had
promised, and he said Ia her, "Oh mother.
give me to drink! | have received my
death wound" And QUINN Saiyar looked
upon the wound-a CHASTITY wound, that
gaISEl even rs the mouth IF a camel with
divided lip.
But she was of the race Of eagles. and
she answered him, tearlessly, Nay, my
son. for il | give thee 10 drink now thou
,lieSt, and we would then he taken and
put To shame, and while even n dropoi
blood lives in thy veins. oh son of mine,
thy duty remains to stand in defense Oi
the weakness of woman and the honor u
thy people. Turn back. son Of Mokadlrm,
Turn and smite them while thy strength
lasts, and Lear the thirst for thy mother.
sake: Yet suffer me first Ia bind up thy
wound"
And while she strOvc To bind il with her
veil-for that was all she had to bind il
with-ltabyah murmured TO her, "0l
mother, the o Of Firaz have indeed lost
him they were wont to call their battle
hawk-their deep diving hawk Of battle
him they held precious unto them as fire.
shining gold. They have lost their darling
horSeman. oh mother!''
But QUINN Saiyar answered him a
she knottel tightly the long veil about
his wound: Son, are we not If mighty
Thalahah's stock, and Malik's breed.
whose daily lot is bereavement We'll
hath it been said that no man dieth in hi,
tent! What is the record Of our race but
an o%utpouring Of ghosts from the clash Of
hattie. even as the spark floods perpetual
gush from the grinding Of swords: Yet
thou knUwest that blood If our, Is never
shed without vengeance: and when one Of
us idll"th straightway another riseth NJ
to du the deeds Of a man-to help th,
weak. 10 strive with them that are mighty
for evil. Bear thou the thirst for thy
peoples sake; turn now, oil son. and
,mite them stoutly while thy strength on
dures.
And Rabyah turned hack again. while
the women fled: and once more he scat.
tered the band Of Sulaim. and drove them
before Him and held all the pass. And he
sat guarding the narrow way upon his
gray mare.
Then fell and died the day, in awful
passion Of lire. behind the pass. and
against the mighty glow. as in "A flame,
thu horSeman lowered like a DIinn.
And the som Of Sulaim drew afar oil,
and watched Rabyah-as vultures wait
and watch, pluming themselves. about
the place where a lion lieth down TO die.
And because they would not again attack
Rabyah, Nubaishah Knocked them with
rhymes piercing as the iron of lances.
But they could not bc moved 10 approach
him; and Nubaishah foamed nj the mouth
like a camel that had eaten bitter herbs.
Aud the night came.
But Rabyah, remaining in the shadow
If the Pass, felt that his ghost was about
TO depart from him. And lending TO the
EAR of his slim gray mare, he Whispered
unto her, softly, "Stand thou still, darl.
ing; stand still as a stone for the love oi
me- Then he pressed the foot of hii
long spear into the ground. even rs he sal
upon her, and leaned upon il.
And in the darkness lis. ghost went OH
from L..